


fate's fool

by Noctis_13



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Ardyn Izunia Redemption, BAMF Cloud Strife, BAMF Prompto Argentum, Cloud Strife Needs a Hug, Cloud Strife is Prompto Argentum, Crack Treated Seriously, Crack and Angst, Epic Bromance, Fluff and Humor, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm a whore for both Cloud and Prompto so this is what happened, No beta we die like Zack Fair, No beta we die like Zack's dream of becoming a mercenary with Cloud, Prompto Argentum Needs a Hug, Protective Chocobros (Final Fantasy XV), Protective Cor Leonis, Reincarnation, Self-Indulgent, Uncle Ardyn Izunia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:14:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29261808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noctis_13/pseuds/Noctis_13
Summary: Cloud Strife is reincarnated as Prompto Argentum.
Comments: 54
Kudos: 144





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own the final fantasy franchise lmao.

**Prompto Argentum isn't normal.**

The barcode he has on his wrist, the nightmares of being in a vat of cold liquid, his Nifelheim origins, all of it points toward the fact that he doesn't belong. 

Although, that's not all there is to it. 

Prompto remembers being someone else. He remembers wielding a sword, driving a motorcycle, creating a delivery service, saving the planet. 

He remembers Jenova. 

He remembers mako. 

He remembers Zack. 

Prompto Argentum remembers everything. 

He doesn't understand what to do with all this information. The blonde is living a different life now. He's friends with the crowned prince, he's just graduated high school, and he has a part-time job at a local arcade. 

By all means, Cloud Strife should no longer exist. He should be gone and forgotten in a universe that's moved on without him. 

But; if Prompto is no longer Cloud then why does he still have the scars? 

Why does he have an itch to practice with a blade? 

Why is he saving up money to buy a custom bike that'll be a spitting image of Fenrir? 

Why does he still have mako?

**_Why is he getting his ears pierced at three in the morning?_ **

Prompto stares at the needle in a mix of anxiety and anticipation. He didn't mean to get his ears pierced, and quite honestly the thought has never really crossed his mind. 

The young adult was taking a jog around his neighborhood, blowing off some steam from his nightmare of Hojo. **(And, wasn't that funny? How in both lives he got fucked over by old men in white lab coats).** When he spotted a small piercing and tattoo shop that was open twenty-four-seven. The freckled man didn't think anything of it at first, until he spotted an eerily familiar pair of wolf earrings on display. 

Next thing he knew, Prompto was chatting up one of the workers on the cost for a piercing while taking out his wallet. 

"Y'know, we have a special sale going on this week, darling. If you get two ear piercings, you get another one for free." The piercer states as she takes out a pen. 

The lady then draws dots on his ears, showing him a mirror to confirm the placement. 

"It's perfect!" Prompto reassures, before biting his lower lip in contemplation. 

"You said there was a special, right? The free piercing, can it be done anywhere on the body or does it specifically need to be somewhere? He asks, barely flinching when the needle goes through his skin. 

The lady smiles at him as she disinfects the slightly bleeding ear, before putting in the earring. 

"No, it can go anywhere ya want, sweetpea! Why? Is your piercing going to be somewhere...mischievous?" The woman teases, lowering her gaze to look at his chest. 

Prompto snorts, "Astrals, no! Nipple piercings aren't my thing! But—“ 

The reincarnated hero sticks out his tongue at the lady, 

“I wouldn’t mind getting my tongue done though.”

The worker laughs at him in glee as she pierces his other ear. 

"Sure, honey. Let me just finish this one first and then we can get started on your tongue piercing. Let me tell you in advance, your talking might be slurred for a little while."

Prompto shrugs off her warning, knowing that with his mako enhancements it shouldn't even be a problem. 

By the time he gets home, the sun is already shining and Insomnia is finally beginning to bustle with life. The blue-eyed teen doesn't care though, he was still too giddy about the wolf-like studs he was currently sporting on his ears. 

"Maybe, this whole reincarnation thing isn't so bad after all?" Prompto whispers while snuggling into his bed sheets. 

The teen then quickly snorts at his optimistic words, taking the statement back in a heartbeat. 

_"Oh, who am I kidding? I'm totally fucked."_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I feel like Atlas (I got my back stretched)." 
> 
> AKA, Prompto's parents' F- parenting skills + Cloud's/Prompto's traumas dancing in a conga line + being a brokeass bitch = chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to cut this into 2 chpts cuz it was too long! Enjoy tho. 
> 
> Also: DADCOR! FTW
> 
> Disclaimer: i don't own the final fantasy franchise lmao.

**Prompto hated his new parents.**

He understood that not everyone was welcoming of refugees from Nifelheim, but why adopt him if they were never planning on raising him in the first place? 

It was absurd. The Argentums should be glad that he was so self-sufficient. A lesser man would be dead by now. 

If Prompto didn't get some money soon, he would _become_ that lesser man. 

He was fired from his job at the arcade a few days ago because of some disrespectful customers making fun of his Niff origins. 

They threw the first punch and the teen didn't mean to harm them, but his instincts kicked in. Needless to say, his manager didn't believe his side of the story. 

Noctis and the rest of the gang didn't know about his current situation as they haven't exactly seen each other for the past month. Royal duties made it extremely hard for them to meet face to face often. 

Hell, the others haven't even seen his new "features" yet. 

The freckled male already knew how Ignis would react though. 

Rubbing the bridge of his nose in agitation, Prompto heads into his bathroom. Staring at his reflection in the mirror, the teen pulls out a set of colored contacts and puts them on. 

He only uses colored lenses when he goes out in public or when people stay over in his flat, they were specifically made to hide the mako shine in his eyes. 

Prompto inspects himself, not wanting to miss any signs that his abnormalities were showing.  


**(Oh, the joys of being a human experiment).**

After a few minutes of checking himself in the mirror, the ex-hero tries to think of a way to fix his financial income or lack thereof. 

"How can I make crowns fast? Become a stripper?" The blonde murmurs, desperately rummaging through his mind for an answer.

"Wait, I've got it!" Prompto says while snapping his fingers together in realization. 

He's heard about hunters before, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't interested in seeing how this profession worked first-hand. 

Prompto could even establish himself as a freelance mercenary just to see if the endeavor was worth it.

Glad that he found the solution to his monetary distress, the eighteen-year-old gathers some supplies from around his apartment. He takes some canned goods, bottled waters, and a spare change of clothes. 

Prompto wishes he still had a weapon on him, but alas, a commoner like him would have to go through some strict screenings in order to wield one. 

The teen knows he's not completely useless unarmed, but having a pistol or a blade would ease his nerves. 

Even having some materia on hand would make him feel safer. 

Sighing in frustration, Prompto grabs the keys to the beat-up car his parents left him and walks into his kitchen to grab some pointy knives. 

They may not be much, but that's all he had for now. 

"If I knew I'd be this strapped for crowns, I would have made another delivery service," Prompto mumbles to himself while driving to the outskirts of Insomnia. 

It doesn't take long for him to reach the wall and bypass security, he was lucky that the guards didn't notice the knives he was hiding underneath his coat. 

It was around early to mid-afternoon when the blonde reaches Hammerhead, stopping in a mechanic shop for fuel. He makes small talk with a worker named Cindy,almost suffering from a heart attack when he meets her self-proclaimed "Paw-Paw", Cid Sophiar. 

He knows that there are differences between this Cid and the Cid Highwind he knew, but Prompto just couldn't help comparing the two. 

The teen hated how he could feel them overlap. 

"Ya look like you saw a damn ghost, boy." The older mechanic comments as he glances at Prompto's beat-up car. 

The blonde snorts at the man, if only he knew. 

"That's some old parts you have here, are you ever thinkin' of tuning it up? Or at least updatin' it?" 

"I would, but I'm broke as all hell. I'm more of a motorcycle person myself though, so if anything I might just sell this dusty car for extra money." He answers honestly, before excusing himself to step inside Taka's Pit Stop Diner. 

“I wonder if this Cid wants to send a rocket into space too?" The blonde wonders as he takes a seat right in front of the counter. 

"Oh! Uh! Welcome!" A man greets him from behind the table, briefly startled by his appearance. 

Prompto assumes this man is Takka and shoots him a small grin. 

Takka hands him a menu and tells him to take his time ordering. The restaurant owner then attends to another customer who settled in beside him. Prompto assesses the man, noticing he was armed and holding a small brown dog in his arms. 

"Are you a hunter?" He asks after ordering a bowl of Chili con Carne. 

"I am, why? Are you one yourself?" The stranger answers, scratching the chin of his dog while doing so. 

"Not really. I'm more of a newbie mercenary that's looking to find some jobs." Prompto responds, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"Hm, a kid like you is a mercenary, huh? I haven't seen one of those in a while. My name is Dave, if ya want I can hook you up with some missions, Takka can too if he has any." 

Prompto beams at the hunter relieved that he didn't have to go far to find some work. 

Takka overhears their conversation and enlists his help in getting a Lucian tomato from a place called Galdin Quay. Dave pipes up afterward, explaining that there was an open hunt for a pack of sabertusks near that area as well. 

"If you can, please bring back any dog tags you spot on the way there." 

"Dog tags?" The blonde teen murmurs, confused. 

"Yeah. Hunters wear 'em as a way of identification. When a hunter dies we like to collect the dog tag and return it to their loved ones. It's like a memento for their families." 

"That's very....thoughtful of you," Prompto replies, his respect for Dave growing even more. 

Dave guffaws at his compliment and reaches out to ruffle his hair, causing Prompto to squawk at the action.

"We hunters take care of our own, kiddo. You'd best remember that." 

The blue-eyed male nods firmly at the statement, warmth gathering in his chest from the hospitable nature of the hunter community. 

"By the way, you never did tell me your name. Hunter or mercenary, I'll need to get you registered at some point." 

"Registered? Do I have to sign something?" 

"Just a lil' form that ensures you understand how dangerous this line of work is," Dave reassures, knowing all too well how annoying stacks of paperwork could be. 

"Tell you what, I have some spare forms for registration in my truck right now. I'll go get them for you so that you can sign them. Once you give me your signature, I'll file them and have your dog tag waiting for you when you come back. Sound good to you?" 

"Sounds great, actually."

Ultimately, it only takes around five minutes for Prompto to go over the documents with Dave. 

"Cloud Strife? That's one hell of a name." The man offhandedly comments after seeing his signature.

He then gently takes the files and puts them into a manila folder. 

"Do ya want any customizations to your dog tag? We offer engravings and colored designs." 

Prompto pauses at the suggestion, mulling over some thoughts before agreeing. 

"On the back side of the tag, could you put the initials Z.F. for me?"

"Initials? Is that your girlfriend's name or something?" Dave asks, writing down Prompto’s request on a miniature notepad he had in his pocket. 

"No, he's much more important than that." 

_“Just kidding! I won't leave you hanging like that."_

_"We're friends, right?"_

_"Mercenaries, Cloud. That's what you and me are gonna be."_   
  


Too lost in his past memories, the traumatized blonde doesn't notice Cid spying on him from across the parking lot. 

The old man was holding a phone to his ear, talking into it while simultaneously keeping watch. 

_"Cor, what the hell is your baby boy doing in Hammerhead?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TYSM FOR READING! I can't believe the amount of support I've already got from this story! I hope I don't disappoint y'all! 🥺💕


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Used to stick together,  
> You're my best friend, I'll love you forever."
> 
> BASICALLY: angst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: i don't own final fantasy lmao  
> I got in my feelings today so YA YEET. f college classes man. 
> 
> I had to rewrite the ending 3 times RIP i hope u enjoy!
> 
> Song: You Get Me So High - NBHD (this is Zack and Cloud's theme song, fight me if u think im wrong....)

**Zachariah Aldercapt is the crowned prince of Nifelheim.**

His father is a madman, his mother is dead, and he's nothing but a puppet for the empire. 

He doesn't have friends, Zach isn't allowed to have any. He's the heir, the one who will lead after his father takes over all of Lucis, he doesn't have time to play games or socialize with others. 

But, Zach wishes he did. 

Tugging on his ravenette hair in ill-hidden anxiety, the twenty-year-old sighs while watching the sunrise from his spot on the castle's balcony. 

He was cradling a golden chocobo plushie in his arms, holding it against his chest in a tight grip. 

Zach ran to this haven of his in order to retreat from all the insults his supposedly "loyal" guards were throwing at him. 

They were gossiping about his hair color, which wasn't a common color in Nifelheim. People with dark hair usually had Lucian origins and as the crowned prince it was disgusting for him to have any likeness with the enemy. 

Zachariah felt unwanted in Nifelheim, everything he stood for, everything he was, didn't fit the mold that the country had set for him. 

"I can't stand being here anymore." The male whispers underneath his breath, seemingly talking to his stuffed chocobo. 

"I hate it here, this place is dark and depressing. Especially, those magitek bases." 

Zach looks down, staring directly into the face of his toy. 

"I hate labs, y'know? They're the worst, aren't they, Cloud Junior?" He mutters to the doll, rubbing its false feathers. 

Inhaling deeply, the young adult reminisces about his past life. 

"It was green and it burned. Mako was everywhere around us and I couldn't focus." 

Tucking Cloud Jr. underneath his chin, Zach continues,

"Cloud, the real Cloud, I'm not talking about you little C! He became comatose through mako poisoning, Hojo really did a number on him..." 

"When we escaped, I took on the role of guarding and protecting him! I did a pretty good job too!" Zach states proudly, puffing up his chest. 

"I defended Spike until the end..."

The ex-SOLDIER rambles while his eyes start to turn suspiciously wet. 

"I wanted to be a hero, but I became a sacrifice instead. What a tragic way to go, am I right?"

Gently placing his stuffed doll on the floor next to him, Zach tries to cheer himself up by doing a couple of squats. 

"Man, I should just run away to Insomnia or something. I doubt anybody would notice my absence..."

A wry grin settles onto Zach's face while he works out, 

  
"Of course, if I leave then so will you, Cloud! I'll never leave you **(again)** , promise! Scout's honor!"

**Zach ignores the part of his head that calls him a liar.**   
  


Ducking and rolling underneath the sabertusk, Prompto quickly stabs the beast's stomach with his kitchen knife. The animal starts to sway from the blood loss, causing the blonde to shift before he's crushed by its carcass. 

The mission was fairly easy, all he had to do was kill five sabertusks and buy a special type of tomato. 

Dusting some dirt off his clothes, the teen takes a few photos with his camera before walking back to his car. 

"Wow, that was quick! You might have just found your calling, kiddo. Are you sure you haven't done this before?" Dave teasingly questions upon seeing his arrival. 

Prompto twitches his mouth up in a smile as he counts the amount of gil he's earned. 

"6,325? Not bad for only two missions." The blonde whispers to himself, already mentally translating the gils into crowns. 

Prompto converses with Dave for a few more minutes and retrieves his dog tags before leaving. 

By the time he reaches Insomnia and exchanges his gil for crowns, the moon was already out at full-mast. 

Hopping a little while unlocking his door, the mako enhanced teen hums a Nibelheim lullaby underneath his breath.Stepping through the doorway, Prompto toes off his boots and places his stack of money on a nearby table. 

"Close your tired eyes, the gentle breeze, and the twinkling stars—Cor?" The blonde nearly shouts, spotting the Marshal who was waiting in his kitchen. 

Gesturing towards the empty seat in front of him, Cor orders with a no-nonsense attitude, 

"Sit down, Prompto. We need to have a talk." 

Swallowing a lump in this throat, the younger male obeys. 

He flinches once he takes a seat, jolted by a sudden prickling sensation in the back of his neck. 

**Jenova cells.**

The blonde's vision becomes tainted by the color of acidic green **(mako green)** while his breathing begins to stutter in his chest. 

**Hecouldn'tmoveithurtandZackhewasgoneanddeadhelefthimhepromisedtocomebackwhydidheabandonhim—**

Prompto can vaguely hear Cor's attempts to calm him down, but his body wouldn't listen, seizing up whenever he tried to inhale. 

_"For the both of us...you're gonna...live."_

"Prompto, do you hear me? Astrals, you're turning blue!"

_"You'll be...my living legacy."_

"C'mon, kid. Breathe with me! Try to match your breaths with mine!"

_"My honor, my dreams..."_

Prompto shrieks in agony as he starts to scratch at his scalp, deep enough to draw blood. 

**MakeitstopmakeitstopCloudjustwantedtobeleftalonealonehedidnotaskforthis—**

_"...They're yours now..."  
_

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TY FOR ALL UR KUDOS AND COMMENTS! U GUYS MAKE IT SO WORTHWHILE UWU LYYY 🥺💕💕 👉🏼👈🏼

**Author's Note:**

> Tysm for reading! I love you all! 💕


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